Broken Arrow
by Fantaster
Summary: Set during the five-year gap. Probably something like three years after the first season. Actually, what in my interpretation might have later led to the whole Depths situation. Or not. Or might have led to something entirely different – it's for you to decide. Traught, kinda.


**A/N**: The song by "The Script" that gave the name to this story is just plain awesome. The first time I heard it I immediately saw this pair as the main heroes of the lyrics. _Seriously, just close your eyes and listen to the words_…

* * *

It's stupid to feel this way. She knows it. Stupid, because, well, you've got a mom, a loving boyfriend, an apartment, your studies are going well, your sister-enemy is still alive and kicking and you don't need to be concerned about saving the world anymore. You can relax: no emergency missions, no life-risking situations, no exhausting training, no teammates, no adrenaline…

Artemis exhales deeply and desperately fights the urge to cry out and punch something. She knew what she was agreeing to when they (or more like Wally, truth to be told) decided to leave the superhero gig behind.

Or so she thought.

_Welcome to normal life._

Normal is good. Normal is safe.

Normal is so freaking boring!

Wally is visiting Barry and Iris.

And sitting alone in a dark empty flat is not really what Artemis enjoys doing. She doesn't want to be lonely: she's had enough of it during her childhood. Yet she is. And she hates it.

She can call Wally, sure. Or talk to her mom. Or visit the girls from the team – they wanted to meet with her so many times, but se refused, finding some lame excuse each time – Artemis was afraid she would not be able to fight the temptation to go back, afraid she would feel alienated around them now that she isn't a superhero anymore. Now that she's not herself anymore.

Artemis flicks on the lights in the bathroom, looks in the mirror and ties her hair into a ponytail for the first time in several months.

She knows what she wants.

She knew it from the moment she came home tonight.

She has been wanting it for the said several months.

He will understand.

He always understood her. _Maybe even better than Wally…_

She loves Wally – or at least she thinks she does, but sometimes – at moments like this – she wonders if she has done the right thing.

Guiltily brushing these thoughts aside, Artemis changes into a black sweater and jeans – kind of her own stealth mode – and walks out of the door, heading towards the nearest zeta-tube.

She could just call him, sure, but she needs to see him, not just hear his voice.

* * *

He is not exactly surprised when he spots a slim figure out of the corner of his eye.

Happy is a much more appropriate word.

Besides, it's their spot.

She doesn't turn her head or otherwise acknowledge his presence except for saying softly "I miss Gotham."

_And I miss you_, he wants to say, but instead suggests lightly "Maybe you should come here more often then."

"Maybe," she echoes.

They both know this is not really an option.

Gotham shines myriads of lights beneath them – sparkling and moving, like the city is breathing.

She finally turns around and her brows crawl up. "Oh."

"Yeah," he smirks. "Things have… changed since you've left. Batman has taken in a new Robin. He's still training but he's pretty good. And there'll soon be a Batgirl, though it's a huge secret so far. Oops."

"Let me guess," Artemis says thoughtfully. "Is her hair red?"

His lenses widen in mock shock. "Hey! Secret identity here!"

Artemis rolls her eyes. "Oh come on! Does… her dad know?"

"Does he have to?" he replies smoothly.

Artemis shakes her head, partly in amusement caused by the news, partly in annoyance that she has missed all these changes. So much for Wally and Dick staying best friends, so much for her staying his friend… They haven't even talked for a long, long time – she was simply avoiding him, truth be told.

"And what name do you go by now?" she inquires, moving closer and tracing the image of a bird on his chest. He shudders slightly under her touch. "And don't tell me it's something like "Azure Eagle"."

Her fingers feel the vibrations from a low chuckle he emits.

"It's Nightwing."

She smiles. "It suits you."

"I'm still not fully used to this," he confesses.

"I guess I'm not used to many things either," she blurts bitterly, light mood forgotten. As if sensing the coming disaster, Dick crosses the remaining distance between them and takes her hands into his:

"'Mis…"

She gasps and looks away, because if she doesn't, she will break down, right in front of him. Her whole brave façade that has been thoroughly built during all these months will shatter to the dust of good intentions – all because of a nickname and the sound of his voice…

All this time Artemis has been avoiding him while he still has been haunting her dreams. It's unfair in relation to Wally, and she has been feeling constantly guilty, but those dreams are totally out of her control.

"'Mis," he tries again.

Wally never calls her that.

His hands are warm, his hold strong but gentle, and Artemis swallows a big lump in her throat, and it's not helping at all.

She wonders when it all stopped being simple and went straight to hell. Then again, has anything in her life ever been simple?

"Artemis, what's wrong?"

"I shouldn't have come here," she turns away, but Dick still holds her close, his expression concerned. He frowns and opens his mouth to say something but she shakes her head and tries to break free again. "Please, let me go."

This time he does.

She rushes away, leaving him with a faint "I'm sorry".

He doesn't follow.

* * *

Artemis feels like she's suffocating.

Eyes stinging and throat tight, she's dashing through the streets not really seeing anything around. She hasn't cried for a long, long time. She thought she wasn't able to anymore.

Apparently, she was wrong.

She has no idea how much time has passed until she finds herself on a bench in Gotham Central Park, and her phone is ringing. Blinking back tears, she dugs it out of her pocket, glances at the screen and chokes back a sob.

It's Wally.

She can't force herself to pick up.

The ringing stops and in a few seconds the screen lights up again, indicating a new message. "Sorry, babe, thought you were still up. Just wanted to say I miss you. Sweet dreams. Love you."

Artemis hiccups and slams the phone shut.

As the sky gets lighter, Artemis – unexpectedly for herself – calms down a bit.

Now that her thoughts have cleared up, she knows she can't continue like this. She'll have to make a decision.

The dawn is almost there when her feet bring her on the roof again.

He's still there.

She is not exactly surprised.


End file.
